The Briary Event 2017

[cosmicfolklore]

This is from an email from Skip at The Briary:

Hi Every one,

This Saturday the 18th we will have our annual event.

Thanks to my capable staff I have been able to take quite a bit of time off to work on pipes. Most years I have one or with a little luck two pipes for our show. Most years I make about ten. This year I have six ready and I might have one more. Can you believe that in February? Any pipes that we do not sell will go on our site.
Back again for this year will be Greg of Greg's Hotdog fame. That guy knows hotdogs. I am getting hungry just thinking about it.
Max Stokkebye will be here from Lane Ltd pitching their tobaccos.
Aaron Scissom will be here from Music City Marketing displaying. Dunhil, B.C, and Winslø.
Chris Harper will be here on loan from Perdomo as our cigar guy.
We will get started at 10:00 and run all day.
We look forward to seeing you all here.
Skip Elliott

The Briary is located in Homewood, Alabama and is easily found on any GPS or Map APP. This is my getaway place to hang out and talk pipes, when I do get a chance to getaway. I hope to see a few of you there, especially Jason, Nate, and Jabo. And, hopefully I will get a chance to meet a few new faces from here that live in the region. But, if you get there before me, don't take my damn seat, ha ha. ::

 

[bluegrassbrian]

Maaan..I'd love to come down. The one weekend my car is in the shop!

 

[shaintiques]

Voorhees and I will be there.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Yeh!!!

 

[iamn8]

Is this event BYOW? Or will there be whores provided by the house?

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Well, if that's your game, you'd better get there early... but me... I'd rather bring my own. I'm not a fan of the house blends. ::

 

[voorhees]

Yes. I will be there!

 

[jabo]

Be there for sure ! I'll save seats ! ;-)

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Just one day away. I'm excited!!!

I won't be there the whole day, because I still have sciatica, but I plan to be there for a couple of hours or at least two bowls worth, ha ha.

 

[voorhees]

We will be there approx. 12:30 central. So plan accordingly if you want to see the GA boys. :lol:

 

[jackswilling]

How about some reporting/pictures???

Or was it so sordid that we will endure radio silence. What happens at The Briary stays at The Briary. We know what happened in STL thanks to georged.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

It was a good event. There was a Dunhill vender who also brought quite a few other famous English pipemaker's works. Another had quite a few French BC pipes. Eric Stokkebye was there with another guy from Lane. They had the new pipe tobaccos with cigar branded names on them. They also had a buy one get one sale on all of these, including a few other of the Lane products, such as Erinmore, of which I bought a sleeve of Erinmore Flakes. Perdomo cigars was there also with a great deal on their new lines. I picked up about ten new sticks at a great price. The gourmet hotdogs were good. I had a Greek dog. I got to see Vorhees and Shaintiques and meet up with my pipe club buds. But, my back was hurting so, that I wasn't able to stay long at all. I didn't get any pictures this year. I also didn't get my picture made by Skip and his wife.

I did stay long enough to chat with the Dunhill guy. It was interesting to see the new stamps used on the new Dinhills now, and ask some questions about Dunhill getting out of pipes. They are all stamped "Alfred Dunhill White Spot," because they are no longer a part of the Dunhill family. And, it was interesting to hear about their luggage, high end watches, and other accessories stuff under different names, of which eludes my memory now. But, I just didn't have the budget for a $500 pipe at the moment, but they were quite pretty.
Sorry, I usually do a much better job of reporting. It was weird that there were Dunhills not stamped With the usual Dunhill stamp and vanilla aromatic pipe tobacco with cigar names on them. It's like walking into another dimension of oddness, ha ha. Lots of free samples, but...

 

[jackswilling]

Sorry to hear bout your back, but it sounds like a great event.Did Dunhill pipe tobacco blends come up in your convo with the rep???

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Yes, It was followed by a long line of marketing-speak about how the Dunhill name is now owned by a group of companies in the luggage, luxury watch, and accessories game now. And, the speculation is that the Dunhill name, since not represented by any existing family or heirs will just die out. They are owned by group or corporation now, and it seems that they want nothing to do with pipes or tobacco, because... well... he gave me lots of speculations. Most of which we have done on here. Smoking just isn't cool. And, the Dunhill cigarettes are own by another company, making separate decisions, like the pipe tobacco, and pipes. They are leased names. There is no Dunhill company. Just like a certain famous name in New York leases his names on buildings and casinos.
Honestly, nothing he said made me want to buy a $500+ factory made pipe by them, especially since the stampings have changed, and knowing that they are just a few more steps away from no longer even saying Dunhill. To me it seems like it would be like buying the last Porsche made, just before they changed their nomenclature to Volkswagon. I'd prefer to just keep the ones that I have made during the prime years.

 

[wyfbane]

Sounds like a great event. I met Erik Stokkebye a couple years back at a Tacoma event. I had my 9 year old son with me and Erik gave him a cap. My son was duly impressed, as was I. He is a great guy.

 

[crusader]

Thanks for the info Cosmic. I am not sure as to be mad or sad about Dunhill. Honestly, I'm a bit put off now about them "folding" what made the name relavant if the first place. I guess money talks

 

[cosmicfolklore]

I think that if one is already a big fan of Dunhill pipes, that this is no set back. If you have the money, and they have a pipe that strikes your fancy, you're probably going to buy it, treasure it. But, there are so many great pipe brands that if you've got the money, and you want a great pipe, Dunhill could get over looked. The Dunnies I have were estate pipes, and not magical to me anyways. Me, I'd just buy Beckers if my budget allowed.

 

[voorhees]

Only have 2 Dunhills. One is a 1927 Patent and a birth year 1971. I like them both. But I equate the current situation with Dunhill as if Ford quit making a Mustang and it became a knock off and wasn't associated with Ford at all. I'd be done...

 

[buckaroo]

Yeah, thx for posting Cosmic. Right, a bit sad.